Paumacariya 54

English (machine translation) 54

Language: English

54.1

Then, in due course, that son of the Wind arrived in Kiṣkindhī with all his strength; / seen by the lord of the monkeys, he was greeted after [the lord] rose to meet him.

54.2

Then, having honored the excellent warriors who had returned from battle, / he approached Padma together with Sugrīva.

54.3

Having bowed his head, Hanumat delivered the crest-jewel, / and related to Rāma the entire news of his beloved without omission:

54.4

'Having gone, O master!, I saw your Rohiṇī in an excellent garden, / her hair tied in a single braid, her cheeks stained, her tears flowing down,

54.5

supporting her face with her left hand, letting out long and hot sighs, / and, with a single-pointed mind, meditating on the sight of you, O man of great fame!

54.6

Falling at her feet, O master!, I delivered her the ring, / and all the news of your well-being was related to her.

54.7

Hearing your news, Janaka's daughter attained supreme joy, / and, her bodily hair bristling with joy, she asked again and again.'

54.8

When the son of the Wind told Rāghava that Sītā was alive, / he was overcome with joy and could not contain himself within his own limbs.

54.9

And Padma was greatly consoled upon receiving the crest-jewel; / his limbs were as if touched with nectar by that news accompanied by a token of recognition.

54.10

'Hear also another word, O master, which was conveyed to you by her: / "If you do not come quickly, then my death here is certain."

54.11

Fallen into an ocean of sorrow, distressed by separation from you, / Janaka's daughter passes her days in misery, guarded among Rākṣasa maidens.'

54.12

Hearing this token of recognition and the condition of his beloved, / lord Padma's heart was gripped with sorrow, and he became exceedingly grieved.

54.13

Having fallen into contemplation, his face cast down, releasing long sighs, / he repeatedly reproached his own life, the abode of misery.

54.14

Then the son of Sumitrā said to Rāghava, who was meditating thus: / 'Why do you lament, O lord? Direct your mind to what is to be done by you!

54.15

The matter appears to be delayed by the disposition of the chief monkey; / and King Bhāmaṇḍala too, O master!, though summoned, tarries.'

54.16

'We must certainly go to the own city of the Ten-faced One, / and the ocean cannot be crossed with [mere] arms, O man of great fame!'

54.17

Then Siṁhanāda said: 'Lakṣmaṇa! Why do you speak so arrogantly? / A man must always accomplish that which is beneficial to himself.'

54.18

'Since the excellent mansions and high ramparts of Laṅkā were broken by the son of the Wind, / once the Ten-faced One is angered, our death in battle will occur.'

54.19

Then Candraraśmi said: 'Why have you become frightened, O Siṁhanāda? / Who fears Rāvaṇa, now that his death is near?

54.20

In our army there are renowned warriors, sky-goers, great charioteers, / endowed with strength, power, and luster, many heroes of battle:

54.21

Ghanaravita, Bhūtanināda, Gajavaraghoṣa, and likewise Krūra, / and Kelīgila, Bhīma, Kuṇḍa, and Ravi-Aṅgada,

54.22

Nala, Nīla, Vidyunmukha, Mandaramālin, likewise Aśanivega, / and King Candrajyotis, Siṁharatha, and the steadfast Sāgara,

54.23

and then Vajradanta, the hero Ukkāla-Śūladinākara, / Hanumat of bright fame, and King Bhāmaṇḍala,

54.24

another, Mahendraketu, Pavanagati, and Prasannakīrti; / these and many other warriors are in the monkey army.'

54.25

Seeing the monkey warriors indifferent, Rāghava, growing exceedingly impatient, / his face twisted in a frown, in an instant became like the god of death.

54.26

Seizing his precious bow, he twanged it with a sound like a cloud full of rain, / and cast a glance like lightning in the direction of the city of Laṅkā.

54.27

Seeing Rāma resembling the sun of world-destruction, all the monkeys, / filled with supreme enthusiasm, quickly became ready for departure.

54.28

In the dark fortnight of Mārgaśīrṣa, on the fifth day, as the sun was rising, / under an auspicious Karaṇa, Lagna, and Yoga, their march commenced.

54.29

A blazing fire without smoke was seen turning to the right; / a woman adorned with ornaments, and a white, noble horse;

54.30

a lord of ascetics who is a nirgrantha monk, an umbrella, a sacrificial post, and a water-pot; / fragrant wind, and a fresh, spacious archway;

54.31

and on a milky tree, a crow on the left side was calling, fluttering its wings; / the sound of excellent kettledrums and conches indicated swift success.

54.32

These and many other auspicious omens appeared at the time of departure, / and auspicious sounds arose as Rāma set out toward Laṅkā.

54.33

Just as the moon waxes in the bright fortnight, so with the army of Vidyādharas / the lotus-hued one swelled exceedingly, accompanied by Sugrīva.

54.34

King [Sugrīva] lord of Kiṣkindhī, Hanumat, Durmarṣaṇa, Nala, Nīla, / as well as Suṣeṇa, Śalya, and many champions such as Kumuda,

54.35

bearing the monkey insignia, possessed of mighty strength and complete with every force, / marched as if swallowing the sky, making loud music resound.

54.36

A necklace was the emblem of Virādhita; a banyan tree, of Jāmbavat; / a lion, of Śobharava; and an elephant, of Meghakānta.

54.37

Mounted upon conveyances and vehicles—celestial cars, elephants, horses, and splendid chariots— / they set out, swift as the wind, facing toward Laṅkā.

54.38

Ascending a divine celestial car, Padma went forth together with Lakṣmaṇa, / shining surrounded by heroes like Indra with the Lokapālas.

54.39

Then in a moment they reached the charming Velandhara mountain, / where King Samudra, the lord of the city of Velandhara, dwelled.

54.40

Seeing the Vānara army, Samudra quickly marched out there / accompanied by his own army and fell upon Nala in battle.

54.41

Then King Samudra, defeated by Nala at the forefront of battle, was bound; / released in his own city, he remained bowed in submission to Rāghava.

54.42

Rayaṇasirī, Kamalasirī, Rayaṇasalāyā, and likewise Guṇamālā— / these maidens were presented by Samudra to the abode of Lakṣmī [Padma].

54.43

Having spent the night there in the excellent city of Suvela, when the sun arose / they marched toward Laṅkā with the din of musical instruments announcing victory.

54.44

The Vānara army halted near Laṅkā, which had excellent palaces and lofty ramparts / in the midst of the great ocean, richly endowed with pleasure groves and gardens.

54.45

Close to the city, they then reached the island of Haṁsadvīpa; / then, having conquered King Haṁsaratha, they encamped there.

54.46

Bhāmaṇḍala's man, Pavanavega, was sent inside by Rāma; / having gone to him, he reported everything, the battle and all that had transpired.

Wherever brave men go who have performed meritorious deeds, there they overcome their enemies and attain enjoyment of pleasures. / For them in the world no task whatsoever is unachievable; therefore, practice pure dharma as followed by the lords of the world.

54.48

Thus ends the fifty-fourth chapter, entitled "The March to Laṅkā," in the Paümacariya.

Linked texts (1)

Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit